8 Questions for Rangga Sastrowardoyo

Despite all the unnecessary denials, Rangga Sastrowardoyo cannot escape the fact that Indonesian popular teen flick Ada Apa dengan Cinta? (2002) has so many things to do with him, with the exception of the radically different physical look between him and his portrayal in the movie. Ten years have passed after the movie was released, and let’s take a look at Sastrowardoyo (Rangga, not Dian) today. He’s still in the state of denial, for sure, but it doesn’t mean we cannot dig deeper.

How did you feel when you first knew that the filmmakers picked someone who looked a thousand times easier-in-the-eyes than you?

I beg to differ, he’s only about 20 times easier-in-the-eyes. But at that time I didn’t really care; I mean, how do you compete with a star? So what I did was to ride the waves and play along.

Do people ask why you don’t look like Rangga in Ada Apa dengan Cinta? at all whenever they meet you for the first time? Does it harm your self-esteem?

Actually they always point out the similar curly hair. As for harming my self-esteem, I’m not easily offended by such trivialities.

Ten years after the movie, I heard you have published a book. That I’ve never heard of. So, it’s a book of poems?

Of course you never heard me publishing a book, it’s under a pseudonym. No, it’s not a book of poems, it’s a collection of things people overheard in Jakarta. Some knows it as Nguping Jakarta.

What’s the most interesting thing about your life now?

Jagermeister.

Back in the days, how many production houses did you knock and beg for buying the movie rights of your personal story?

None. My personal life will stay that way; personal. But it happened.

Were you involved during the production stage, or did they just tell you to shut up?

Not at all, it was an ambush, a blitzkrieg. By the time I realized the damage, it was already too late.

I assume you’re gonna have kids. Will you watch the movie together with them to revive your glorious past?

I think I will; it’ll teach them to be strong and proud of their name.

Other than smoking weed, what are the things that the filmmakers decided to take away from your true character to create a more politically correct version of you in the big screen?

I guess they took away a lot of my debauchery side. But hey, it was a teen flick, what do you expect

DISCLAIMER: These answers aren’t all the truth. Because the truth is out there. @katarangga